Several types of vertically operated airplanes driven by turbo-jet engines have been developed and a number of these have been destroyed when attempting a vertical landing. The use of hingeable panels for confining the downwardly directed exhaust gases from a helicopter is shown, described and claimed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,084 and the art cited therein. The application of the panels to direct engine exhaust is believed to substantially increase the safety of vertical take-off and landing aircraft.